Scenes from 9th Golden Years Jamboree plus celebrating the Senior Citizen of Year, photos

The date is already set for next year's Golden Years Jamboree, the 10th anniversary of the event each summer in the Civic Center, where seniors can check out booths of value, take home free samples, and enjoy live entertainment.

Mark it down, organizer Kelly Jo Brown said, July 16, 2025.

This year, the 9th Golden Years Jamboree, or as some put it simply, GYJ, the signature event of the Anderson County Senior Citizens Program, continued with a Wearable Art Fashion Show by artist Kathy Moore. The show featured dresses and costumes made by seniors and vendor participants using recycled materials.

"It's only once a year; it's the biggest senior party ever, and sponsors are from all over the place that help the senior community," Ria Smith of Golden Years Jamboree said. "They have great things to offer; they can answer all your questions while you're here. Every year is different, come out, enjoy, meet new people, find your community."

Glenn Brill, retiring director from the Anderson County Parks, Recreation, and Tourism division, has seen all nine jamborees. "It gets bigger and bigger each year," Brill said. "It's the celebration of the senior industry in Anderson County. We have at least 15 percent of our county's population classified as senior citizens so that's about 50,000 people. This is the one day everybody gets together and parties. We'll have line dancing, we'll have wearable art, we'll name the senior of the year. It's just a fun time, and it's free."

Genevieve Brown of Anderson has been to them, too. "To hear a senior say, I look forward, I'm able to get out of the house and have fun," Brown said. "When you reach a certain age, it's good to be able to mingle, see a different environment and have fun. If you just look at the smiles on the faces, they look forward to it and they like the goodies."

Brown wouldn't divulge the winner of the senior citizen of the year before the announcement. "It's a surprise; it's always a surprise. But you know, what I see, we honor all of them. They all have made a contribution to Anderson County."

Shortly after Phyllis Barnett wowed judges with the intricate design technique of her dress, which she made representing Brookdale Anderson, Rodney Baucom of The Life FM Friends & Family Morning Show announced that the JBC Advisory Council 2 decided this year's recipient would be a lifetime Andersonian.

Craig Johnson of Anderson, walking by vendor booths, said, "I like being with people who never got the memo to act their age. And they're living longer." Ria Smith, standing nearby, laughed, and Smith added, "Amen."

Dot Fant, 95, of Anderson, was awarded the 28th annual Jo Brown Senior Citizen of the Year Award.

"In appreciation for Loving God, Marriage, Family & Our Hometown," the plaque read.

Dorothy Dean Smith Fant was born at home on June 5, 1929. And there were plenty of nurses and aunts to welcome Dot into this world. She became valedictorian of Girls' High School here in Anderson. Dot has always been a leader; becoming student body president at Winthrop College, Dot taught in the public schools and adult education in Anderson. She was very active in the PTA, where her children went to school, and she taught Sunday school at St. John's United Methodist Church from the 1950s until this very day. Dot has always been "Partial to Marshall," and she married Marshall Alexis Fant, Jr. in 1950. They had three children, 10 grandchildren, and 19 great-grandchildren. Dot's motto is, "Accept what is, let go of what was, and have faith in what will be."

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Scenes from 9th Golden Years Jamboree plus celebrating the Senior Citizen of Year, photos